You do not have the ability to select source accounts.The Explorer makes an assumption that all tax-deferred accounts are eligible for conversion. If you have non-eligible tax-deferred accounts modeled in your plan, you may want to exclude the account(s) from the withdrawal strategy or set the rate of return lower than the others.

The Explorer selects tax-deferred accounts one at a time, ranked from highest to lowest rate of return — pulling from both the primary user's and spouse/partner's accounts in that order, regardless of whose account it is. If there are two accounts with the same rate of return, it will prioritize by primary user and then alphabetically.

So if the primary user has an account at 7%, the spouse has one at 6.5%, and the primary user has another at 6%, the Explorer would pull in that sequence: 7% → 6.5% → 6%.

Verify by checking the detailed conversion list after running.

If you don't currently have a Roth account in your plan, the system will create one for you with the default rate of return of 8.08%. If you'd like greater control of the rate of return, you may want to create a placeholder Roth account prior to running the Explorer.

For the most accurate comparison, use the same rate of return for your tax-deferred and Roth accounts. This ensures that your conversion results reflect the tax benefit, not a return assumption.

When you use the Roth Conversion explorer, you have the ability to select how to pay for the tax liability of Roth conversions. How you answer this question determines how Boldin pays conversion tax:

If you select NO: Paying taxes from taxable accounts lets your full IRA balance convert — and the entire converted amount grows tax-free in Roth. If your taxable funds are depleted, the model will not suggest conversions that require tax-deferred funds to pay conversion taxes.

If you select YES: Paying taxes from tax-deferred accounts reduces the amount you're converting — lowering the long-term value of the conversion and potentially triggering a penalty if you're under 59½. If your taxable funds are depleted, the model may suggest conversions that require tax-deferred funds to pay conversion taxes.

The Explorer’s tax payment questions are only relevant to the explorer's suggested conversions. Once you apply the suggested conversions, the software will follow the funding order (Income, then withdrawals according to your selected withdrawal order.) You cannot directly control which specific account pays the taxes on Roth conversions in Boldin. You can, however, exclude accounts from the withdrawal order to protect tax-deferred funds.

NOTE: You do not have the ability to control the tax payment selection when using the customized order feature.

View your taxes in the optimized plan compared to the current plan in the Roth Explorer report.

Boldin covers taxes using your income first. If income isn't enough, the remaining taxes are funded by withdrawals from your accounts, following your withdrawal order. To understand where your conversion taxes are coming from, review the shortfall withdrawals in the conversion year.

Yes — the Explorer accounts for the opportunity cost of after-tax dollars used to pay taxes — those funds are removed from the compounding model.

Enter it in the prior month and adjust account balances manually. The Explorer will factor in current-year conversions when you run it.

No — all balances are shown at nominal value. A $1M traditional IRA and a $1M Roth appear equal, even though the traditional account carries an embedded tax liability that heirs will eventually pay.

No. The Explorer does not automatically apply early distribution penalties. Factor these in manually if applicable.

No. The Explorer does not model the 5-year rule. Consult a tax or financial professional for guidance.

No. You can model the impact by adding the estimated loss of tax credits as an expense in your plan.

Note: Because the Explorer does not apply penalties or model the 5-year rule, results may appear more favorable than your actual tax situation for early distributions. Always verify with a qualified tax professional.

Note: Boldin provides educational projections. For questions about your specific plan, paying taxes on Roth conversions, qualified distributions, early withdrawal penalties, and the 5-year rule, please consult a qualified tax or financial professional.